Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-06-11
From the Golden Gate to the
Columbia.

| Especial Correspondence of the Journal
Shutting my eyes to anything more that Cali
fornia had to offer me, as soon as it was pos
sible, on my return trip to San Francisco l
ticketed to Portland, Oregon, on one of the
magnificent steel ships of the Oregon Nsviga-
ton Co.'S line, whose vessels were built by
John Roach. soon realiz ID that my hurry
to the ships Office had been anticipated bv
scores, who had wired their wants and
secured choice rooms at their leisure. This
reminded me of the thief who, fleeing on the
lightning express, was arrested as he stepped
| from the train and asked the officer how
he got there first and finally remarked that
| the next time he undertook to steal anything
he would himself take the telegraph.
But then had nsught to complain of, for
| if had had my own way, 1t would have
added something more to what did get an
abundance of and of which it only takes little
to go a great ways. Lest now the reader should
tire, will omit here any further allusion to
this never-to be. forgotten piece of marine ex-
| perience
The passage of the Golden Gate is made
| with
BUoYANT SENSATION
| as you realize YOU are weaving into your ex
| perence a historical thread, around which
| shall cluster some of the most memorable
incidents of life. Yet it is true, too, in hu
man life that you meet many among the trav-
cling public who seem unmoved by any SUI
roundipg., and who seem to say of all won
ders as Paddy said of Niagara Falls after his
| brother had expended-the two standing in
| the presence of this stupendous work of
nature-all the terms descriptive of the Won
dertul, "Weli, Jamie, how could it help it?"
Quietly but rapidly you push out into the
rocking waters Of the Pacific p and are soon
facing toward the North Pole, having rushed
into an inevitable experience of several days
OF which the most interesting feature is its
eccentric monotony. You look about you !;
you contemplate, and then button up your
great coat apd as the white winged gulis
seem to you sent out from the goddess Muse,
bearing some unutterable warning, you half
doubt and think it possible that all that comes
to you a dream, except one thing of
which you are absolutely certain, and that
we'll, l said wouldn't mention it,
Two of the ships of this line, the State of
California and the Columbia are fine vessels,
and in all that pertains to ses-going, up to the
standard most courteous and companion.
able set of men fill the entire list of manage
ment and employees. But then why not be a
gentleman when you get about $40 a day
each from several hundred guests. As Mr..
Whitney said of the bishops, it is easy to be
good for FIVE thousand a year, but some
of us must be good for nothing-and are
Fifty hours and the break of day finds you
living outside the Bar waiting the dawn when
it will be safe to pass over. This too is aus
picious as the grandeur of these rolling seas
over the Columbia Bar is among the things
one must not fail to see. 1t is easy to see
that the Niagara cannot help falling l75 feet
| over the precpice but it would require diff
ferent answer to the question here when one
| sees at dead calm these seas roll up noun
! tain high, making one more effort on the pass
ing ship as she enters the smooth waters of
the Columbia river. This point has long been
noted for its peculiar and powerful "seas."
There is a great distinction between these and
| the undulstiug waves mostly met at sea.
These seas come in with a vertical motion
and in their revolutions the bulk of the sea
seems held at its greatest height and some dis.
lance ahead of the surface level of the
wave so that it we're possible to
envelope a small vessel before striking
it Thus it is seen that no small craft
can live through them. They were of such
height as to roll completely over our deck
with force sufficient to carry away any NOV
able object, and in quantities TO fill up and
smooth over quite soon if there had been any
place to fill. Over the bar, and all praise to
the ships thoughtful master of the kitchen,
who delayed the sumptuous morning meal
until once more the sapid fumes from the
urn found response in the chambers of
! ones empty stomach.
What change! How glad, and yet you
half regret it, feeling sure you will never
again cast eye over the bosom Of the vast
Pacific, nor see the
White WHALES
spouting in sport. But as if to gently guide
you back again to the tanner CONCENTRATIONS
of an usual life, the gulls escort you for fifty
miles up the Columbis, until the last pail of
! fragments from the morning meal has been
cast overheard, when they bid you adeu and
return.
! The trip up the Columbia to Portland is
Interesting. Our vessel drew about twenty
/ feet. giving 1t times less than foot of spare
water, and this, too, in places with q very